1
as in totals
a complete amount of something
the sum of human knowledge on that subject
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in summaries
a short statement of the main points
the district attorney delivered a sum of the evidence against the accused that was simply staggering
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in tops
the highest part or point
he declared that he had reached the sum of joy when his newborn daughter was laid in his arms
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in roots
the central part or aspect of something under consideration
the sum of the issue is: who will pay for this?
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in adds
to combine (numbers) into a single sum
can sum figures in his head faster than I can punch them into a calculator
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sums
James McNicholas, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
That value is ironically and necessarily bound up with independence from government control, even as its realization depends on receiving enormous sums of government money.
—Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2025
Mark Zuckerberg has invested large sums of money into Meta.
—John Tufts, IndyStar, 6 Sep. 2025
Russell accused Perkins Johnson of taking large sums of money from developer donors.
—Charlotte Observer, 5 Sep. 2025
But for students who have spent years—and significant financial sums—on their education, struggling to land one's first job may feel like a betrayal.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025
Although Big Tech companies continue to pour enormous sums of money into power-hungry data centers, there remains significant uncertainty over just how much electricity data centers will use in the future.
—Matt Egan, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
The sums at stake are enormous.
—Paulo Carvão, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Meta freezes hiring for AI teams Meta is freezing its recruitment of artificial intelligence researchers and restructuring its AI team, an apparent setback after months of spending huge sums on big name hires.
—Semafor Staff, semafor.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Jay Harris, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
The previous high for a single window was the £398m spent by Chelsea in 2023, and though the latter’s spending over the course of a season then might still outstrip Liverpool’s (Chelsea went big that January too), there’s no denying the sums dispensed from Merseyside have been huge.
—James McNicholas, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
That value is ironically and necessarily bound up with independence from government control, even as its realization depends on receiving enormous sums of government money.
—Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2025
Mark Zuckerberg has invested large sums of money into Meta.
—John Tufts, IndyStar, 6 Sep. 2025
Russell accused Perkins Johnson of taking large sums of money from developer donors.
—Charlotte Observer, 5 Sep. 2025
But for students who have spent years—and significant financial sums—on their education, struggling to land one's first job may feel like a betrayal.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025
Although Big Tech companies continue to pour enormous sums of money into power-hungry data centers, there remains significant uncertainty over just how much electricity data centers will use in the future.
—Matt Egan, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
The sums at stake are enormous.
—Paulo Carvão, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Meta freezes hiring for AI teams Meta is freezing its recruitment of artificial intelligence researchers and restructuring its AI team, an apparent setback after months of spending huge sums on big name hires.
—Semafor Staff, semafor.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Verb
Spence’s post on social media after Spurs’ victory over Man City at the Etihad perfectly sums him up.
—Jay Harris, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sums
Noun
-
That’s a far drop from their 2023 totals of 2,813 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns on 191 catches.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Homicide and nonfatal shooting totals fell again in 2023, but the city was roiled by robbery and carjacking crews responsible for an overall uptick in violence.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The summaries below were drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division.—
Real-Time News team,
Miami Herald,
8 Sep. 2025
-
These summaries read like a bad high school essay and insult your audience's intelligence.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Bake in oven at 375 degrees for around 20 to 23 minutes on average, or until the slightest amount of golden color tinges the tops.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
2 Sep. 2025
-
The retailer recently rolled back prices on a wide array of cute fall tops, marking most of them below $35.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
For example, most types of turfgrass have short roots, and soil samples from lawns only need to be dug to a depth of 4 inches.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Sep. 2025
-
The roots of my family tree are firmly established in the soil of Great Britain.—
Elizabeth Bass Parman,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The print, which looks like it could be inspired by a fall scene on the East Coast, adds visual interest, depth, and warmth to your space.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Sep. 2025
-
But the Amontillado adds this really different perspective.—
Emily Price,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Only Spain misses out on the centerline, but long totalities are still possible there — up to 4 minutes, 40 seconds.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Eli would weigh in on everything from outlines to scripts, and even joined the writers' room on occasion.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Sep. 2025
-
The playbook is still being written, yes, but the outlines are clear.—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Heeled mules are the ideal way to take both your style and your feet (literally) to new heights.—
Amber Cardullo,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Recently, however, both teams have elevated themselves to greater heights.—
Quentin Corpuel,
Kansas City Star,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sums.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sums. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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